Merry Christmas

Niantic, CT  2020

I wish all readers and visitors to this blog a very Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday season.  May all your days be merry and bright.

 

First Snow 2020

Niantic, CT  2020

We had our first significant snow storm this past week.  It was fortunate  that this area only got about 8" of accumulation.  Other areas in Connecticut and New England got well over 30".  Snow is only pretty immediately after it falls, before the plows come and before it has gone through a couple of freeze/thaw cycles.  I'd be happy if this were the last snow for this winter, but I doubt it will be. 

 

Bench with Leaves

Niantic, CT  2018

Blizzard of '15

Niantic, CT  7:51AM  1/27/2015

This is what I awoke to this morning.  We have been anticipating this blizzard since the weekend and yesterday the State of Connecticut declared a state of emergency and put in place a travel ban starting at 9:00 PM.  The snow started falling mid afternoon and it hasn't stopped as I write this.  I read this morning that New York City was spared the full effect of the storm having only received 6" of snow in Central Park as of 6:00 AM this morning.  Predictions called for upwards of 2-3 feet in NYC.  I think we got quite a bit more than 6" here.  

Niantic, CT  8:16 AM  1/27/2015

Fortunately I had gotten out over the weekend to fill my bird feeders.  The feeders were very popular this morning, but they'll need to be refilled very soon.   

Niantic, CT  7:54 AM  1/27/2015

The blizzard's near hurricane force winds makes it difficult to get a good measure of amount of snow that has fallen.  We're under a Blizzard Warning until midnight tonight and the forecast calls for more snow all day long.  Fortunately,  we have not lost power... yet, and we have more than enough food to last for awhile.  I'm going to enjoy my day off today, and it looks like I'll have tomorrow off as well.  Life in New England! 

Pardon the Interruption...

Niantic, CT

I'll return to posting some more pictures from Yale, but thought I'd get the requisite winter snow pictures posted today.  The first picture is my patio as I found it this morning after the latest big storm to hit our area of Connecticut.  I think we got about 8" of snow, perhaps more.  The predictions were pretty accurate this time.  I've heard the storm was worse near Boston and Cape Cod was especially hard hit.  The snow was followed by some bitterly cold temperatures.  Tonight it's predicted to get down to the single digits near the shoreline. Spring cannot come fast enough. 

Happy New Year

Niantic, CT

Just a quick shot this morning outside my home in Niantic of the first sunrise of the New year.  Happy New Year to all my readers!

Geraniums

Niantic, CT

Irises

Niantic, CT

Rhododendrons in Evening Light

Niantic, CT

Early Morning Light

Chapman Farms, Niantic, CT

The rhododendrons are blooming.  If we had a spring here in southeast Connecticut, it didn't last very long.  Today the  temperatures reached the upper 80's along the coast, making it feel like summer.  I'm not complaining though.  I snapped this picture on the way to work this morning.  Have a nice weekend and thanks for looking.

Last Blizzard Picture

Niantic, CT

Allow me one last picture of last weekend's blizzard, this time rendered in black and white. One week later there are still big piles of snow, but a lot has melted.  I'm ready for spring!

Blizzard 2013 VI

Niantic, CT

As is often the case with major storms, the day after the storm is gorgeous.  It was a bit chilly, but the sun was bright, and the sky blue.  Later in the week, the temperatures rose well above freezing and all this snow began to melt.  It doesn't look nearly as pretty now.

Blizzard 2013 V

Niantic, CT

By mid afternoon on Saturday the snow had stopped and the sun even made an appearance.  After I had done some shoveling it was time to get out and do some walking.  I didn't get too far, and decided it wasn't too safe to be walking in the streets, even  though there was very little traffic.  These are the main roads right outside our condo community here.  

Blizzard 2013 IV

Niantic, CT

The snow didn't quite cover our little road signs here in Chapman Farms.  I doubt anyone could actually go 15 mpg on this particular street.

Blizzard 2013 III

Niantic, CT

Regular readers of this blog will recognize this gazebo.  It has served as a subject of at least a few previous posts.  I do recall one post which featured it covered with snow, but not quite as bit as seen here.  

Blizzard 2013 II

Niantic, CT

The snow weighed heavy on the trees with many branches drooping if not actually breaking off.   These pictures were taken early Saturday morning, and although the snow had stopped falling, the winds were still strong enough to be blowing the snow around.  

Blizzard 2013

Niantic, CT

It's been quite a while since I've seen this much snow.  My fellow bloggers here in Connecticut have posted their photos, so I feel obligated to post some of mine.  The snow started on Friday morning, and did not stop until mid-morning on Saturday.   By all accounts, south east Connecticut caught the brunt of this storm.  I would guess we had over 20" of snow here in Niantic, perhaps more, with lots of drifting.  Our power went out at about 10:00PM Friday night, so even though I was able to get out and do some photography, I couldn't process the pictures with my computer until the power returned early Sunday morning.  Some of my neighbors were evacuated to shelters.  It wasn't too bad inside, but by the time our power returned our inside temperature was down to 48 deg F.  I noticed quite a few trees down in our neighborhood.  

Snow

Niantic, CT

Here on the coast of Long Island Sound, we are often spared the snows that some this time of the year. The northern part of the state has already seen some significant snow fall, whereas we've had only rain. This past weekend, we got our first really significant accumulation of snow.  I'd guess about 4" or so.  It makes for a pretty site, for a short time.

Merry Christmas 2012

Niantic, CT

Here's wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.  Enjoy the holidays with family, friends and loved ones.  May all your days be merry and bright.

Sunrise

Sunrises and sunsets often provide some pretty dramatic colors and also some challenges in regards to the the getting the best exposure.  I was able to capture this a few weeks ago, as the sun rose over Niantic Bay and the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant.